A conference heralding a ‘New Era in Transatlantic Climate and Energy Politics’ will be opened in Berlin on Tuesday, September 30, by Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel.

Germany and the US both play leading roles in managing today’s global challenges. “And that’s why climate change and a sustainable energy policy belong right at the top of a ‘New Transatlantic Agenda’”, Steinmeier said.

The conference will bring together representatives from a variety of US states and cities, from the fields of science and economy, and from US foundations, with their German counterparts, and will give them the opportunity to discuss their own experiences of and perspectives on transatlantic cooperation in climate and energy politics.

In the opening session, Spiegel magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Georg Mascolo will host a discussion between Foreign Minister Steinmeier, Environment Minister Gabriel, Governor Doyle of Wisconsin and Jeremy Rifkin, president of the Foundation on Ecomomic Trends.

A “Marketplace of Ideas” and a “Climate Speed Dating” session will also encourage enhanced communication and collaboration between US and German participants. Numerous German and US initiatives, companies and scientific institutions will be showcasing their activities at the conference.

Conference Program (PDF)